Interview with Bruce Spenner, Director of Microdisplay Marketing, Micron

In May 2009, Micron announced that it acquired DisplayTech, makers of microdisplays and pico projector modules. Micron's director of Microdisplay Marketing, Bruce F. Spenner has agreed to answer a few questions that we had about this purchase and Micron's pico projector strategy...

Bruce was executive VP and directory of DisplayTech, before Micron bought them. Before that, Bruce worked for HP for a long time... Bruce received a Doctor of Science (D.Sc.) degree in Electrical Engineering from Washington University in St. Louis.

Q: Bruce, thanks for taking the time to do this interview. Can you give us a short explanation of DisplayTech's technology?

All of Micron's microdisplays are built with ferroelectric liquid crystal on silicon (FLCOS) technology. The key distinction between FLCOS and the more common type of liquid crystal on silicon (LCOS)—nematic liquid crystal (NLC)—is speed. Our Displaytech FLCOS technology switches up to 100 times faster than standard Nematic LCOS. The speed of the FLCOS allows a single FLCOS panel to display a full color image.

Our Displaytech FLCOS microdisplays combine fast, small, digital liquid crystal technology with integrated circuit backplanes, putting the liquid crystals directly on top of the backplane. The binary nature of our ferroelectric liquid crystals (FLC) matches perfectly with these digital backplanes to provide a fully digital microdisplay that uses less power than other microdisplays. They can also operate in much colder temperatures. Other microdisplays use nematic liquid crystals that are inherently analog, requiring more complex liquid crystal drive schemes.

Q: What are the specifications of your pico projector display module?

See our product flyer (PDF).

From the flyer: VGA 640x480 resolution, 75mW normal operation, 60Hz refresh rate, 300:1 contrast ratio.

Q: How does FLCOS technology compare to regular LCOS and DLP?

When compared to micromirror technology, FLCOS display technology allows for a fully integrated microdisplay solution, combining the display panel, memory, image processing and light drivers into one chip. By not requiring multiple chips, board footprint and power requirements are significantly reduced.  In addition, because our FLCOS technology can take full advantage of CMOS process technology curves, we believe it will continue to be a much more compelling solution for small form-factor applications.

The distinguishing advantage of FLCOS microdisplay technology is its fast switching speed – up to 100x faster. Optical switching speed, over consumer product operating temperatures is important for using field sequential color, which, unlike color filtering, produces full color on each individual pixel , blending color by very rapidly integrating red, green and blue frames in sequence. Additionally when compared to LCOS, FLCOS offers a wide temperature range of -10 to 70 degrees Celsius.

Q: Several companies are working on new laser-based projectors. Can you compare your technology with these?

Images created with laser scanners have a distracting “speckle” caused by the laser movement across the projected area. There are also inherent challenges with eye safety when using laser-based projection. There is also significant manufacturing development required and challenges on green laser availability.

Q: OLED is another technology that is used to make microdisplays. Will FLCOS compete?  

Organic LED displays are an emerging technology that is well suited to direct view displays where the area of the display is the same size as the viewing area. Each pixel must emit the light, and therefore dissipates the power, required to make the pixel bright enough for viewing.  All applications for FLCOS microdisplays use magnification of the image that the FLCOS generates.  The light is generated by independent LEDS and then reflected off the FLCOS display panel. OLEDs are not used in applications where the image is magnified because pixel power dissipation would become a significant reliability issue.

Q: When Micron acquired DisplayTech, you said you will unveil a new product soon. Will this be a pico projector module? Can you give more details?

The product you are referring to is our WQVGA (392x224) panel, which is *not* used for pico projectors. We will begin sampling the panel this fall to customers, so it’s hard to say when they will therefore churn out products using our panel. Check out this blog post for more info on the WQVGA and ATSC-Mobile/Handheld candidate standard.

Q: Will Micron also assemble a complete Pico-Projector module? Or will you stay with just the display panel?

We are comfortable with the current product plans and roadmap that Displaytech has put into place and is one that we will continue to follow. As the microdisplay market evolves we will continue to look at new opportunities and capitalize on the technology.

Q: We know of two projectors that use your technology: 3M's MPRO110 and CenturyTech... are there any more that you can tell us about?

Butterfly and iView.

Q: Can you tell us why did Micron, who's a memory company essentially, are now into displays? How will your two businesses converge?

The acquisition is part of Micron’s broader strategy of delivering differentiated products that leverage its expertise in semiconductor research and design. Displaytech’s FLCOS technology provides a great opportunity for R&D synergies. FLCOS technology leverages the CMOS process technology – which Micron has a long history of expertise with – and we believe our combined expertise will enable further exciting innovations.

With more than 21 million microdisplays shipped in the market, Displaytech’s FLCOS technology is being used across a wide variety of consumer products including electronic viewfinders for digital cameras and camcorders, as well as pico projectors.  Micron is very encouraged by the market potential for FLCOS technology and we believe we can help bring scale to their growth by offering a much broader sales channel and one of the world’s best IP portfolios.

Micron remains committed to our memory businesses and our customers.  The technology and expertise we have developed in those markets provides us with opportunities in other markets and we believe that our resources, technological skills and R&D capabilities dovetail into longer term capabilities and roadmaps with Displaytech and their technology. 

Displaytech will operate under Micron’s silicon and systems business unit. Now as part of Micron, the Displaytech business functions will remain focused on maintaining the momentum established by the Displaytech team, while maximizing the strengths inherited as part of the Micron organization.

Q: The pico projector market is projected to grow quickly... How does Micron view this market?

According to market data from Insight Media, a leading display market research firm, the total serviceable available market is projected to reach 30 million units in 2012 for pico projectors (companion devices and embedded), growing from about 13 million units today. 

We believe that this market has the potential for very dynamic growth over the next five years as new use models emerge for personal projectors.

Q: What are the main challenges still left for pico projectors?

The main challenge we see is getting the broader electronics industry to understand the potential of pico projection. The technology and the means to get there are now in place, but the ball is now in our court to grow demand.

Bruce, thanks again for this interview. I hope the integration into Micron goes well. Good luck!